The magpie - Warlock, Peter

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"A Norfolk roadmender named John Drinkwater sang ''The Magpie'' to E J Moeran, saying that he had found the words in an old newspaper and that the tune had just come to him. Moeran notated it and later showed it to Peter Warlock, who made an arrangement for voice (or unison choir) and piano. It transpired that the words were actually from a music hall act, ''The Mohawk Mistrels''; copyright permission was refused. Hal Collins, who lived with Moeran and Warlock at Eynsford, Kent, wrote a new text, ''Yarmouth Fair'', to fit Warlock's arrangement, published in 1924. A version with the original text was published in 1989."

⌛ Period → 20th Century ◈ Genre → Partsongs ♬ Voicing → SSAATTBB|SATB divisi ¶ Language → English

Parts 8

Instruments A cappella

Pages 4

CPDL # 22929

Editor Adrian Wall

Posted 2010-12-30

License Personal

¶Lyrics / Text

I lingered near a cottage door, And the magpie said "Come in!" The door was open, I went in And I saw standing there A maiden with a dimpled chin A-combing her black hair. A sweet surprise was in her eyes, But still she did not frown, But even smiled, the pretty child, And the magpie said "Sit down!" I sat down in her father's chair And the magpie said "Kiss her!" And yet the maiden didn't speak Which made me think "I will!" For as the red rushed to her cheek She looked more lovely still. But when in haste I clasped her waist She screamed out "No! No! No!" But 'twas so nice I kissed her twice And the magpie said "Bravo!" Her father then came rushing in, And the magpie said "Get out!" Her father's voice was like a rasp And swearing he began And I experienced the grasp, The grasp of an honest man. He rained such blows upon my clothes I feel them to this day; He kicked me too as out I flew, And the magpie said "Hooray!"